samedi 11 janvier 2014

Important Facts About FLSA Laws

By Marissa Velazquez


In 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act was established. The latter is also simply referred to as the FLSA laws. The information defined in this Act affected all working American citizens. Although somewhat controversial when first passed, it revolutionized many aspects concerning labor and wages.

The laws were administered by the United States Labor Department's Wage And Hours division and is enforced at the federal level. The Act was signed into law by then-President Roosevelt, and several attempts to amend the law have been defeated by the Supreme Court, as well as Congress. Although certain changes were made by Congress from time to time concerning this law, it is still very similar to how was originally written.

The Act covers overtime pay, the standard workday, and wages. However, overtime rates are sometimes decided by each state, as specific laws may be different at the state level concerning this aspect. The majority of the law, however, as mentioned above, is enforced nationwide.

Federal minimum wage is increased at regular intervals, but there is no set pattern to the amount of the increase or the time frame of when these changes take place. The most recent change was in January of 2009, when the minimum wage was increased to $7.25 an hour. Roosevelt's bill originally proposed that wage increases follow a set pattern, but this is no longer a part of the law.

As referred to above, the FLSA laws also address overtime, which is characterized as any amount of time a person spends on the clock that exceeds 40 hours in a single work week. Federal overtime pay is defined as 1 and 1/2 the individual's standard pay rate. Although a nationalized standard is guaranteed under the initial law, individual states have the authority to modify overtime pay to a certain degree.

The aforementioned Act also addresses record-keeping standards. For example, employers are required to maintain records of each employee's data, his or her hours of labor, and the amount of pay with which the person is compensated. Businesses must also log overtime hours, daily and weekly wages, and any deductions or bonus money associated with the individual's pay. They are also required to clearly note pay periods so that workers have a thorough understanding of specific days and weeks for which they are receiving pay.

Standards for youth workers are somewhat different under this law. For example, minors between the ages of fourteen and seventeen may work up to three hours a day, or eighteen hours a week when school is in session. However, they are permitted to work up to a forty hour week, including eight hour work days during holiday periods. Child labor laws prohibit those under fourteen from working in most cases, with the exception of newspaper routes or similar jobs.

FLSA laws are in place to protect American citizens from unfair labor practices. However, certain employers sometimes attempt to circumvent these regulations. For this reason, anyone who feels that he or she is being treated unfairly in a work environment, or anyone who suspects that child labor regulations are being broken, should contact the appropriate authorities as soon as possible.




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